The Old Guard 2

The Old Guard 2 (2025) picks up shortly after the events of the first film, with Andy (Charlize Theron) now grappling with her newfound mortality. Without her healing powers, she becomes more vulnerable, yet no less fierce. The team—Nile, Joe, Nicky, and Booker—has regrouped, now operating more cautiously as they uncover signs of a larger threat. That threat comes in the form of Quỳnh (Veronica Ngo), the immortal once presumed dead, now returned and seeking revenge after centuries of abandonment. She partners with Discord, a mysterious and powerful new immortal (played by Uma Thurman), who believes the age of hiding is over and that immortals should dominate the world.

The film takes the audience across global settings—from desolate deserts to urban warzones—as the group struggles to stop Discord's campaign. Nile (KiKi Layne) steps into a leadership role, navigating moral dilemmas as her own powers begin to evolve. Meanwhile, Booker seeks redemption, and his sacrifice late in the film—offering up his immortality to restore Andy’s—delivers an emotional punch. The action remains a highlight: tightly choreographed, gritty, and emotionally charged. A standout sequence in an abandoned nuclear facility provides the kind of tension and visual spectacle fans expect from the franchise.

However, while the performances are strong and the visuals impressive, the film stumbles narratively. Much of the story feels like setup for a third installment, leaving several plot threads unresolved. Discord’s motivations are intriguing but underdeveloped, and Quỳnh’s shift from antagonist to uneasy ally happens too quickly to feel earned. Still, The Old Guard 2 expands the mythology in compelling ways—hinting at the origins of immortality and suggesting that Nile may possess unique abilities even among her kind.

The movie ends on a major cliffhanger, with Nile captured and the team fractured, setting the stage for a darker, potentially more philosophical third chapter. While not as tight or emotionally resonant as the original, The Old Guard 2 offers enough character development, world-building, and action to satisfy fans, even as it leans heavily into sequel territory. It’s a film that understands its strengths but perhaps tries to do too much at once, leaving viewers both entertained and impatient for the conclusion.